Vegetable and fruit wash formulation and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to an environment-friendly, safe and non toxic vegetable and fruit wash composition and its use. The vegetable and fruit wash composition of the present invention ensures removal of dirt, microorganisms, pesticides and/or insecticides from the surfaces of fruits and vegetables. The present composition is also effective in preventing early fruit ripening, crown-rot disease and fruit blackening thus contributes towards extending the life of the fruits/vegetables.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A vegetable and fruit wash composition consisting of 25-30% weight of a nonionic surfactant, 30-65% weight of an amphoteric surfactant and 5-15% weight of glycolipid, wherein the nonionic surfactant comprises alkyl glucoside or alkyl polyglucosides selected from C 6 -C 12  alcohol surfactant or mixtures thereof; the amphoteric surfactant comprises Betaines or Sultaines selected from cocamidopropyl (amide) betaine, cocoaminobetaine, cocoamido hydroxypropyl sultaine, cocoamphodiacetate, or mixtures thereof and the glycolipid comprises sophorolipid or rhamnolipid or mixtures thereof; such that the composition is safe and non-toxic at 200 μg/ml concentration. 
     
     
       2. The vegetable and fruit wash composition as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the alkyl glucoside or alkyl polyglucosides are selected from C 8 -C 10  alcohol surfactant or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       3. The vegetable and fruit wash composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the composition naturally degrades by 81% in 28 days as per OECD 302B test method. 
     
     
       4. The vegetable and fruit wash composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 1-3% weight of the composition in water is effective in removing dirt, wax residues, insecticides/pesticides residues and microorganisms from the surface of vegetables and fruits. 
     
     
       5. The vegetable and fruit wash composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 1-3% weight aqueous solution of the composition is effective in removing more than 90% of insecticides/pesticides residues from the surface of vegetables and fruits. 
     
     
       6. The vegetable and fruit wash composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 1-3% weight aqueous solution of the composition is effective in removing more than 50% of insecticides/pesticides residues from the surface of tea leaves. 
     
     
       7. The vegetable and fruit wash composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 1-3% weight aqueous solution of the composition is effective in preventing crown-rot disease in vegetables and fruits. 
     
     
       8. The vegetable and fruit wash composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 1-3% weight aqueous solution of the composition is effective to control the premature ripening of vegetables and fruits and thereby is effective in increasing the shelf life of vegetables and fruits.